Borehole Fluid Isotope Analysis for Drilling Inefficiency Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Borehole drilling operations face inefficiencies due to harsh downhole conditions, making it challenging to detect and address issues like drill bit wear and borehole collapse in real time, leading to reduced drilling performance and increased costs.

Innovation Solution

A monitoring system that analyzes fluid samples from boreholes to estimate gas concentrations and isotope compositions, identifying operational inefficiencies and alerting operators or adjusting drilling parameters in real time to improve drilling efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If drilling operations proceed faster and deeper to access more challenging formations, then productivity is improved, but drill bit wear and damage increase due to harsher downhole conditions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedrilling speedVSAvoiddrill bit durability

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system continuously monitors borehole fluid samples for gas concentration and isotope composition, providing real-time feedback on drill bit condition and formation interactions. This enables dynamic adjustment of drilling parameters to optimize both speed and bit durability by identifying inefficiencies as they occur

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes operational parameters (drilling speed, weight on bit, fluid flow rate) based on real-time isotope composition data. By adjusting these parameters in response to detected inefficiencies, the system maintains optimal drilling conditions while reducing bit wear and extending durability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Productivity

If real-time monitoring of operational inefficiencies is implemented using gas concentration and isotope composition analysis, then drilling efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedrilling efficiencyVSAvoidmonitoring system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses borehole fluid samples as an intermediary medium to indirectly monitor drill bit condition and formation interactions. By analyzing gas concentration and isotope composition in the fluid rather than directly monitoring the bit, the system achieves real-time monitoring with relatively simple equipment

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system replaces complex mechanical monitoring of drill bit condition with chemical and isotopic analysis of borehole fluids. This substitution allows for real-time detection of inefficiencies using analytical instruments rather than direct mechanical sensors, simplifying the overall monitoring system

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS11525822B2Quantifying operational inefficiencies utilizing natural gasses and stable isotopes

Publication Date: 2022.12.13 BAKER HUGHES OILFIELD OPERATIONS LLC

AI summary

A method of monitoring a subterranean operation includes sampling fluid from a borehole during the operation, and estimating, in near real time, a concentration of one or more gases in the sampled fluid and an isotope composition of the sampled fluid. The method also includes identifying an operational inefficiency in the operation based on the isotope composition associated with the one or more gases, and performing, during the operation, at least one of: alerting an operator and adjusting an operational parameter of the operation, based on identifying the operational inefficiency.